Improvement in couplings for tubular lightning-rods



w. FRnscH. Couplings for Tubular Lightning-Rods. No. 145,641.

Patented Dec.16,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. FRITSOH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN COUPLINGS FOR TUBULAR LIGHTNING-RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,64l, dated December16, 1573; application filed November 6, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, J OSEPH W. Fnrrson, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county,Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings forTubular Lightnil'ig-ltods, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of couplin gs for which LettersPatent were issued to James H. \Veston, June 10, 1873; and myimprovement consists in constructing said couplings in such a manner asto expedite and economize their manufacture, and also to permit thevarious sections of the rod to be united together in a few moments, ashereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the contiguous ends of twosections of a lightning- .rod in the first stage of their manufacture.Fig. 2 is a similar view of said sections after the slots and tonguehave been cut in them. Fig. 8 is a perspective view, showing the twosections brought together, and the tongue of one section passed throughthe slot of the other section; and Fig. 4 is a similar view after theprotruding end of the tongue has been bent back or clinched, so as tocouple the two sections securely together.

My rod consists of a number of tubes, A B, of any suitablediameter andlength, and composed of copper or other metal, that is a good conductorof electricity. Of these tubes or sections, the one A is employed as theground connection for the rod, and the upper portion of said section isreduced in diameter at G, in order that it may the more readily enterthe contiguous section, and also to allow the formation of alocking-tongue, as herein after explained. This reduction of the rod Ais accomplished by subjecting it to the action of a rotating die, thatspins down the metal to the required diameter without cutting it orotherwise impairing its strength. The spinning-die is so arranged as toproduce a gradual or inclined shoulder, D, where the diminished portion0 joins the tube A. The lower end of tube B is spun out with a reamer,

so as to form a flaring or trumpet mouth, E, which is adapted to receivethe reduced portion 0 of the other section.

Having thus reduced one end of all the sections and enlarged or expandedthe other end of all of them, I then proceed to construct the lockingdevices in the following manner: Two parallel and longitudinal incisionsor slits, F F, are made in the reduced portion 0 with a pair of shearsor snips, and said slits are prolonged far enough to produce a tongue,G, of suitable length, after which the. free end H of said tongue isturned or bent outwardly with a pair of pliers. This is all the laborthat is necessary to bestow upon one end of the sections, and the otherends of the sections have a circumferential slot, I, filed in them. Thisslot is made at a suitable distance from the flaring mouth E, and is ofsuch dimensions as to at low the tongue G H to pass readily through itwhen the sections of the rod are being coupled together. The sections ofthe rodare then temporarily united, care being taken to have the tonguepass through the slot, and are then drawn apart. This insertion andremoval operate to impart to the tongues their final shape, as shown inFig. 2.

The above-described simple, economical, and expeditious manipulationsare all that are necessary to complete the manufacture of the rod, whichis then applied to a building in the following manner: The reducedportion 0 of one section is inserted in the flaring mouth E of theadjacent section, care being taken to have the tongue G in line with theslot I. The sec tion A is then shoved up toward the one B, and as soonas the free end H of the tongue G reaches the slot I it protrudesthrough the same, and the continued advance of the tube A causes saidtongue to project gradually, and assume the curved shape shown in Fig.3. As soon as the shoulder D comes in contact with the interior of mouthE farther progress of the tube A is prevented, and the tongue G is bentdown or clinched, as shown in Fig. 4. This act completes the coupling ofone sec tion to another, and it is repeated until a sufficient number oftubes have been locked to gether so as to make a practically continuousrod of the desired length. The sections being coupled by a persistentlyinward thrust, without retrograde action, the mouth E completelyincloses the upper end of section A, and there is no opportunity fordust and moisture to accumulate at the joints and enter the interior ofthe rod, neither are there any objectionable enlirgements or flanges atsaidjoints to impede the flow of electricity down into the earth.

It will be seen that the Weight of the rod is supported by resting onesection upon the inclined shoulder 1) of the adjacent section, andconsequently no strain Whatever is brought to bear upon thelocking-tongue G.

Another advantage peculiar to my rod is found in the fact that thespinning down of one end of all the sections compresses or condenses themetal, and thereby increases its strength, and effectually overcomes thecontinued opening of the seams, which is a great objection to most allthe tubular lightningrods now in use.

It at anytime it should be desired to take the rod down, it can beaccomplished in a few minutes by simply bending the tongue back to itsoriginal position, and then pulling one section directly out from theother, the elastic nature of said tongue allowing it to be clinched andstraightened as often as maybe neces sary. v

In case the tongue should be accidentally broken oft, a new one can becut alongside it Without in the least impairing the strength oreiiiciency of the rod.

The tongue being at the extreme edge of the section is quickly andcheaply made by the snips, which form part of the kit of every operator.

I claim as my invention- A lightning-rod composed of tubular sheetmetalsections, having one end flared and slotted, as at I, and the other endreduced in diameter, as at U, with a sloping shoulder, 1), and a tongue,II, formed by the slits 1* F extending from the end of each sectioninwardly, the sections being joined by the insertion of the reduced endof one into the flared end of another, the tongue H passing through slotI, and being bent back for securing the two sec tions together.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH A. Fl'iljTStll.

Attest:

GEO. II. KNIGHT, Jinnis II. LAYMAN.

